Lee Corso, 89, is retiring from ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ after Week 1 of the 2025 college football season, marking the end of an era that spanned nearly four decades and more than 400 mascot head selections, the network announced Thursday.
Corso will make his final headgear selection — a Saturday morning staple since 1996 — on August 30.
The destination for the Week 1 show will be announced later this spring, ESPN said.
In a news release, Corso expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be part of ESPN and ‘College GameDay’ for nearly 40 years.
“My family and I will be forever indebted for the opportunity to be part of ESPN and ‘College GameDay’ for nearly 40 years,” Corso shared.
“I have a treasure of many friends, fond memories and some unusual experiences to take with me into retirement.”
Corso has been a ‘College GameDay’ analyst since the show’s inception in 1987, leaving as its longest-reigning member and last remaining original on-air personality.
He became a fixture of the program alongside host Tim Brando and analyst Beano Cook, remaining a beloved figure for 38 seasons while sharing the set with Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, and Nick Saban.
Corso extended a “special thanks” to Kirk Herbstreit for his friendship and encouragement during his tenure.
However, it’s the annual headgear selections, where he predicts the victor of the ‘GameDay’ matchup by donning the school’s mascot head, that endeared him to fans nationwide.
“Do you know anybody else that makes a living putting something else on his head?” Corso told The Athletic in 2018.
“I’m telling you, that has been an unbelievable thing for me.”
‘College GameDay’ transitioned from an in-studio show to a traveling one in 1993, and Corso was a constant presence on the road.
On October 5, 1996, ‘GameDay’ traveled to Columbus, Ohio, for the first time, where Ohio State would handily defeat Penn State 38-7.
In a memorable moment, Corso didn’t vocalize his prediction; instead, he showcased it by reaching for the head of Brutus Buckeye, Ohio State’s mascot, and wearing it.
“Buckeyes!” he shouted, igniting a frenzy among the crowd and establishing a cornerstone of college football culture.
Since then, Corso has donned various mascot heads, ranging from dogs to chickens to even reptiles, all while providing his unique flair in each Saturday’s selection.
To date, Corso has made over 400 game predictions, with devoted fans tracking his mascot picks.
Cole Reagan, a fan who created a website featuring a searchable database of Corso’s headgear picks, has him at 287 wins and 144 losses all time, which translates to a 66.6 percent accuracy rate.
Despite facing health challenges, Corso remained a staple on ‘College GameDay.’
He endured a stroke in May 2009 but managed to return for the football season without enduring permanent brain damage, although his speech was affected.
Corso tirelessly carried on week after week, developing great chemistry with Herbstreit and often playfully ribbing the weekly guest picker.
“Not so fast, my friend,” became one of Corso’s memorable catchphrases when he disagreed with another’s pick.
Over recent years, however, Corso’s role on ‘College GameDay’ diminished.
He missed five games during the 2022 season for health reasons, and his absence from the full three-hour show block became increasingly evident.
Moreover, Corso missed several games during the 2024 season as well, and he was absent from the Week 0 show in Dublin covering the Florida State-Georgia Tech matchup last year.
He also had to skip Weeks 6 and 7 due to health issues, and after undergoing a minor medical procedure ahead of Week 15, he was absent from the SEC championship edition of ‘College GameDay’ in December.
In a 2018 interview with The Athletic, Corso reflected on the sheer enjoyment of his job and the difficulty of retirement.
“Let me tell you something: On Thursday morning I get up, I get on a first-class plane and fly to a place and stay in a nice hotel and get a lot of great meals,” he stated.
“First class! Then I go and talk football for a couple hours, I see the best game of the year and I get on a plane (in) first class and I go home.
“And they pay me! Why the hell would you ever think about retiring? It’s like stealing.”
Corso began his career at ESPN with 28 years of coaching experience, including 17 years as a head coach at both college and professional levels.
He led the Louisville Cardinals from 1969 to 1972, steering the team to the 1970 Pasadena Bowl and ending a 12-year bowl drought.
During his tenure at Indiana, he helped the team secure its first bowl win in 75 years with a 38-37 victory over then-unbeaten BYU in the 1979 Holiday Bowl.
Corso also spent a year at Northern Illinois and worked with the USFL’s Orlando Renegades.
Originally from Miami, Corso played at Florida State from 1953 to 1956, excelling on both sides of the ball.
He led the Seminoles in interceptions in 1954, rushing yards in 1955, and passing yards and punt returns in 1956.
Corso held the FSU career interception record for over two decades and still ranks third on the school’s all-time list.
“I did everything. I was pretty good. Look it up,” Corso proudly declared in 2018.
In recent years, the ‘College GameDay’ set expanded, adding new faces like McAfee and, most recently, Nick Saban, who joined as an on-air analyst last February.
When ESPN hired Saban, many speculated what that would mean for Corso, who will turn 90 in August.
However, the network remained firm in its commitment to allow Corso to leave the show he significantly contributed to on his own terms.
As the time approaches for his retirement, fans will have one last chance to witness his iconic headgear selection, a hallmark of college football Saturdays.
image source from：https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5867913/2025/04/17/lee-corso-college-gameday-retirement/
